What Are the Capabilities of the Megawatt-Class Airborne Laser System?

[Ivan Seeking]

Massive "Raygun" Fires Up In Megawatt Laser Test

The U.S. Missile Defense Agency has successfully test-fired the megawatt-class laser built by Northrop Grumman for the Airborne Laser (ABL) system, marking the first time such a powerful directed energy weapon suitable for use in an airborne environment has been demonstrated...

...The ABL is the first airborne megawatt-class laser weapon system. The ABL is a specially configured 747-400F aircraft, designed to autonomously detect, track and destroy hostile ballistic missiles during the boost phase.[continued]

http://www.spacedaily.com/news/laser-04v.html

 

[Astronuc]

Northrop Grumman is a member of a team selected by the U.S. Air Force to develop and demonstrate a revolutionary new defense system-http://www.st.northropgrumman.com/capabilities/PageCategory.cfm?PageCategoryID=12 .

 

[Ivan Seeking]

and check this out!
http://www.st.northropgrumman.com/capabilities/Content.cfm?ContentID=30

The Tactical High Energy Laser Advanced Concept Technology Demonstrator (THEL ACTD) was designed and built by a Northrop Grumman-led team for the U.S. Army Space & Missile Defense Command and the Israel Ministry of Defence. Now being used as the Mobile THEL (MTHEL) Test Bed, THEL has been proving laser defense system capability since June 2000, when it began shooting down Katyusha rockets singly and in salvos.

...This remarkable success was made possible by Northrop Grumman’s disciplined approach to design, integration and testing of this revolutionary system. THEL does not depend on exotic or unproven technologies. It was designed from the beginning as an operational laser weapon demonstrator, not a “white coat laboratory system.” The result: it’s real and it works – after nearly four years of field operations, and after shooting down dozens of threats, it continues to operate reliably, engaging new threats it was not originally designed to engage. [continued]

I had seen this on TDC quite a long time ago, but never in any official form.